To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

South Dakota in World War II, pages 509 & 502 contained the following:
Awarded the Silver Star
,
ERDMAN, ;LYNN, 37 144 307, Tech. 4th Grade, Spink Co.:
"lh Germany 20th November 1944, T/4 Erdman engaged in ~rying survey
control In_a extensive system of enemy defenses * * * front !.l~peman of this
survey party stepped on a mine which blew away both feet, ):>n6 ;Qf his fingez:s
and broke both legs. * * .* * Erdman disregarding warnings of the wounded man
not to prece.-~d, crawled tbward him, probing his way with <A small· knife and
reaching the wounded man carried him to safety" · ·. ·
Selflessness goes hand i:r;1 hand with humanitarianism and any soldier who
has seen a comrade killed in a mine field Erdman's action knows the determina­t.
ion 1~ t,~Jo· •?ffect this rescue.
v
SAUNDERS, LAVERNE G.,
0-17 285, Brigadier General, Aberdeen
"for extraordinary heroism and dis­tinguished
service in the line of his
profession while in command of a
group of bombers and fighters during
the raid on Japanese shipping in the
Buin-Tonolei at·ea on Novem.ber 18th,
1942. In the face of severe anti-aircraft
and enemy fighter opposition Colonel
Saunders successfully led his planes
in a clarin·g daylight bombing raid on
enemy shipping. At least two 1,000-lb.
bomb hits were scored on enemy Yes­sels
and twelve enemy aircraft were
destroyed. After his O\.vn aircraft was
badly damaged and it became neces­sary
to land his plane in enemy ter­ritory,
he skillfully accomplished a
water landing near shore, thereby per·
mitting the remaining members of his
crew to t•each safety. His brilliant
leadership and his will and determina­tion
to seek out a-nd destroy the enemy
were in keeping with the highest tra­dition
of the service."
General Saunders who was later
most seriously wounded, resulting in
a crippling injury, was perhaps South
Dakota's most decorated individual. In addition to the Navy Cross
given by a sister service he was cited for the Distinguished Service
medal for action of July 31st, 1942; Legion of Merit for services in 1943
as a staff officer; Silver Star for gallantry in action, July 31st, 1942; Air Medal
for the period March to September, 1944; Distinguished Flying Cross for exploits
of October 12th and 13th, 1942, and he also was cited for the Bronze Star. General
Saunders piloted the first ]:>ombardment airplane in World War II on December
7th, 1941. He was first wounded on November 18, 1942 and was in one of the first
missions against Japan on June 14th, 1944, against the Imperial Iron and Steel
Works at Yawata. Wounded again on September 18th, 1944, his injuries were so
sever as to require hospitalization for some eighteen months.
-24-